Life Interrupted
by Weasley's Revenge
Summary: Life never goes according to plan, and sometimes it makes you wonder why you have a plan at all. Jibbs AU.
1. Prologue

**AN: **Does anyone remember "Too Perfect"? It was a sequel of sorts to "Dreams Unknown." They are both pieces of which I am not particularly proud. This is "Too Perfect" as I had originally intended it. I hope that it is better. It goes AU around the end of season three.

Prologue:

Sometimes I just sit on that old swing and wonder. The air is fresh, an oddity to my senses that are accustomed to the acrid tinge in city air. It was their house before it was ours, and it had been steadfastly the same for as long as I can remember. It used to be a farm house a very long time ago. They'd come here when my mother was just a baby, running from something.

I hadn't known my grandparents particularly well, but I knew that neither of them would ever run if they could fight.


	2. Chapter One

**A/N:** Thank you to all who have waited. This is the begining of a three part uber story that I've decided to start. Jibbsy goodness of course. This continues about three months after "Dreams Unknown" though the timeline isn't all that important because it goes AU around the end of S3. Rated T for implied sexual situations and swearing.

"Shit! Shit, shit, shit, shit shit," were the first words out of Jennifer Shepard's mouth as she stared at the evil plastic stick situated in her hands. She shook it once with an angry flick of her wrist willing it to change. This _could not _be happening. She was the unmarried-head of an armed Federal agency. This _was not allowed_ to be happening. 'Okay Jen, calm yourself down,' she heard a voice in her head that sounded surprisingly like Jethro. 'It's probably a false positive, just give Abby some blood and let her run the test.'

"Okay," she said to the air, before standing up and taking a very necessary breath, "Okay."

_Knock_. "Jen, what are you doing in there?" She froze. "Jen," he tried again his voice growing louder, "You've been in there for an hour, I'm coming in."

Just as he was turning the knob she regained her voice, "wait." She moved quickly pressing her back to the door she leaned using all of her weight to keep him out. Wrapping the test in a wad of toilet paper she threw it in her waste basket before letting him in.

As he walked in, he looked at her trying to discern the reason behind her sudden need for secrecy. "What was all that about?" He tried to no avail. She was hiding something. He could see it in the clouded depths of her emerald eyes.

"What are you talking about? I was just getting ready." She tried to play it off.

"Jen, when you lie, your right eye twitches."

"So I've heard," she sounded annoyed.

"Are you going to tell me what you were doing?" He tried again as she moved to go past him.

"Not until I'm sure you have to know."

"We've talked about this Jenny, no more secrets."

"It's not a secret. I don't want to worry you--it's probably nothing anyway." She pushed away his attempt at guilt. "See you at the office." She left.

* * *

Later

"Abs, whad'ya got for me?"

"Patience Gibbs, Tony just brought the stuff down an hour ago."

"How long?" He started looking at some of the other things she was running. One name stood out. _Jennifer Shepard_. "Abby," he tried to catch the babbling Goth's attention.

"_Si_ Gibbs," she didn't bother turning around when she answered him.

"Why are you running the directors blood?" he had put in a pair of gloves and was holding the vial of blood that was indeed labeled 'Jennifer Shepard.'

"Because she asked me to of course," Abby answered, deliberately unspecific.

"Let me rephrase, what are you looking for in the director's blood?" Abby looked uncomfortable. "She told you not to tell me," he sighed answering his own question, she nodded and looked sheepish. "I'll be back." He walked out of the lab and got in the elevator. He took the elevator up to the top floor and rushed past Cynthia, to her extreme annoyance, into his fiancée's office.

She didn't even look up when he slammed the door. "I really thought you'd decided it was a door and not a punching bag," she said teasing him but not taking her eyes off of her paper work.

"Abby's running your blood."

"Oh," she looked up to see his infuriated face, pacing a foot in front of her desk. She removed her glasses. "And that interests you because?" she put the end of her glasses in her mouth and chewed on it contemplating his expression.

"I don't know. Maybe it was that whole 'no secrets' thing we talked about, or maybe it's because I love you and want to know what's wrong," that did it. He had dropped the L word.

"Well Jethro," she thought about her answer, "It's nothing really, I just had a hunch and Abby is trying to confirm or deny it for me."

"What kind of hunch Jen? What are you having her look for?" He stared her straight in the eyes.

"A…womanly hunch," she said in barely quivering voice that betrayed her true feeling on the matter. He looked shocked.

"Like," he gestured to her abdomen.

"Yes, Jethro," she said snappily, "_that _kind of hunch. We'll find out soon enough," she returned pointedly back to her paperwork.

"You want to talk about it, Jen?" he tried.

"I don't feel like talking about anything until I know that we have to," her tone left nothing to argue, and he made his exit feeling like this wasn't going to end well.

**AN: **Please, please, please poke me about this story! I will let it fall by the wayside unless you keep poking me about it. On that note, I hope that you liked it. I have also just deleted "Too Perfect" so this is the only one and I'm not breaking any FF rules. Please leave a review. :)


	3. Chapter Two

**AN:** Thanks for the pokes and keep 'em coming. This chapter involves Tony, Ziva, and McGee.

Chapter Two

Tony DiNozzo sat at his desk pretending to work. In reality, he was alternating between staring at his boss and his boss' boss. The former of which, after returning from the director's office, had sat down at his computer and stared at the screen for the better part of an hour. The latter was pacing on the catwalk focused on nothing in particular bar the occasional glance at Gibbs.

They were fighting, about that much he was sure. Now he just wanted to know why. He guessed that Abby would know because Abby knew everything that went on in the building. "Something on your mind DiNozzo?" The gruff voice of his boss caught him off guard.

"No—no boss, not at all—I was just…thinking about how to word—to word this thing—for the case, and—"he stuttered.

"Spit it out."

"Well, we're friends, right boss?" He tried.

"No. We work together."

"Well, you and the director work together, and you are _definitely_--" He tried again.

"Oh really, DiNozzo, care to finish that statement?" He turned to see one very pissed red-head glaring at him.

"No m'am not at all." He returned to his work very quickly.

"I thought not." She turned away from DiNozzo and to her lover. "Jethro," she gave him a meaningful look, "My office. Now." He rose and walked behind her to the office.

Once she closed the door, she went to her wet bar and grabbed a bottle of water. "You might want some bourbon," she offered.

"Don't need any Dutch courage, thanks for the offer though, Jen. So it was positive." He said the words for her.

"Yeah." She took a deep, unsteady breath, and when she looked at him her eyes were glossy with her withheld tears. He moved to her side and hugged her to his chest. "What are we going to do?"

"We're going to hold our heads high, and deal with it." His answer was simple, straight-forward, and so very him. She laughed to herself quietly.

"Of course, you would say something like that." She rolled her eyes and laughed humorlessly again. "It's not that simple, Jethro. We both have careers, and a duty to this agency, we're not married, and--and, we aren't ready!"

And though her words were truer than he cared to acknowledge he couldn't help the feeling of deep happiness that had descended upon him. "Jen, if there's anything I know about you it's that you were made to be a leader, being a mom won't change that, or who you are. We can do this—together." He kissed her forehead.

"I'm not doubting if we can. It's just that…we _aren't _married. I know that we agreed but—"

"Having a baby out of wedlock is political suicide," he sighed, finishing the statement for her.

"It's either that or… and I can't do that. I can't even think—"

"Then don't." He put a finger to her lips. "When I proposed, I had every intention of marrying you. This just speeds things up a bit." He stopped her because there was no way in hell either of them wanted to consider any of the other options. She sighed and nodded.

"How do you want to do this? We need to start something—anything. I can't just sit here and wait. I'll call my OBGYN and set up an appointment. You get your team, Ducky, and Abby up here we can tell them first," she started to plan.

He grabbed her by the shoulders. "Jen, deep breath, you aren't doing this alone. You can relax, I'm here, and… are you sure you want to tell DiNozzo?"

"Well, why not? If Abby knows the rest of the agency will by noon tomorrow, isn't it better if he found out from us rather than hear some over-inflated rumor." And hate it as he might that DiNozzo need ever find out that Gibbs broke one of his own rules, he could see the truth to her words.

****

"DiNozzo, McGee, Ziva one of you call Ducky and Abby Director's office in five," Gibbs called from the catwalk and then went back to the director's office himself.

Tony leaned over his desk and started to whisper as though Gibbs could still hear him, "What do you think she told him?"

"Yes, Abby, alright, see you soon, bye." Ziva hung up the phone after successfully getting in contact with Abby. "How do you know she told him something?"

"Didn't you see the look she gave him? It was a total 'important new' face," he said incredulously.

" 'Important news?' What kind of face is that?" she questioned.

"You know when you," he started to contort his face and she laughed at him, "fine, never mind, it's that little not quite glare thing that she does," he conceded.

"Jenny has a 'not quite glare'?"

"Yes, Zee-vah—" He started but was unable to finish his thought because McGee cut him off.

"Well I don't care how she looked at Gibbs earlier, if we aren't up there in a minute we will all get full force Gibbs glare."

"Awe, what are you McScared of Elf Lord?" Tony teased. "Hmm, you know what? I bet she's pregnant," he stated with the conviction of a man who was about to bet a large sum of money. "Fifty bucks McScaredy Cat says that the director of NCIS is preggers."

"Do not let Jenny hear you say that," Ziva warned, but was smiling all the same. "She may try to castrate you."

"You're on, Tony, the director and Gi—" he stopped himself mid-name and corrected his mistake quickly, "umm I mean whoever she may or may not be seeing, are safer than that."

"Let us find out." He rose and let the way to the office of one Jennifer Shepard.

**AN:** Hmmm…more pokes please. I like the guilt it makes me write more, faster. :)


	4. Chapter Three

**AN:** This is mostly filler, and I've been playing with it for a really long time. I just can't get it to work the way I want it to.

Abby had not stopped bouncing up and down since Tony had asked her if she knew the reason for their summoning, and she had not said anything only miming zipping her lips. Abby knew because she always knew these things. They were all waiting in the antechamber of her office for someone to make the first move. Ultimately it was Ducky who checked his watch and said, "It's been five."

They walked into the office single-file presenting a united front, yet again it was Ducky who made the first move. "Director, Gibbs, congratulations." They both looked shocked. "That is what you called us here to tell us is it not?"

"Yes, but how… we didn't say anything yet," Jenny stated thoroughly confused.

"I do have a degree in Psychology, my dear." He smiled at them good naturedly.

Tony stared at the two parties involved in this thoroughly confusing exchange. "Wait what?" He said trying to cotton on to the conversation that was making his head hurt.

"And you call yourself an investigator," Ziva nodded her head and patted him on the shoulder, "Tony, the director is pregnant."

"But … how did Ducky and you know?"

"Body-language young Anthony, she's cradling her abdomen and Gibbs has taken a protective stance around her."

"Ohhhh, Ok." He smiled before winking at McGee.

"Now that we've talked that through this," She gestured to her abdomen, "is what we called you up here to talk about. I am pregnant, Gibbs is the father—"

"Way to go bossman!" Tony exclaimed thinking things through after he said it.

Gibbs simply looked at him and said, "Ziva, hit him."

"My pleasure." She whacked him good and hard right on the back of his head.

"Anyway," Jenny continued, "Yes, I'm pregnant. No, it shouldn't change anything. You're all dismissed."

Ziva leaned over the desk and hugged her friend mumbling a few quick words in some language that no one else could understand, but Jenny laughed. Abby also launched herself over the desk pulling the two new parents to be into a crushing hug before signing something unintelligible to Gibbs.

When everyone had left, Jenny turned to her lover. "Well that went better than expected."

"Yeah, now all we have to do is keep the agency running while you're pregnant. God help us all," He joked. She hit him lightly on the shoulder.

"I got into the doctor's office tomorrow. My appointment is set for 0930 if you'd like to come."

"I wouldn't miss it for the world."

She sat in the antiseptic cleanliness of the waiting room tapping her well-manicured fingers on the clipboard that held the papers she needed to fill out. He wasn't there. The team had received a call-out around 0830, and he had told her that he would meet her at the appointment. She was doing her best not to panic, and, judging by the quick glances she was receiving from the couples around her, she was failing.

She glanced at her phone for what seemed like the thousandth time—still no messages—it was 9:25. At nine-thirty on the dot, her name is called by one of the nurses. She rose and handed the clipboard to the nurse her hands shaking slightly. She is lead to an examination room and told to change into a gown-Doctor Carson will be with her in a moment.

She knew that something was not right, and then her phone started to vibrate. It was Tony.

**AN:** Hopefully the next update is faster. This will be my main project now that "Alphabet Soup" is finished up. With that I simply ask that you please leave a review. :)


	5. Chapter Four

**AN:** Hmm please allow me some poetic license with this. I've taken some parts of "Hiatus" and added some of my own. As I said before, this is AU so I'm giving myself a little more free-reign.

She fought herself internally knowing that if she answered the phone there was no chance of good news. Ultimately her fear of missing the call over-weighed her fear of the news she knew had the possibility to ruin her. She pressed the button and let out a clipped, "What the hell is it?" as opposed to her usual "Director Sheppard."

Tony's voice sounded shaky as he tried a feeble attempt at joking. "Boss finally did it, Director. It was a set-up. I'm so sorry. There was a bomb, and he chased the perp. into a room. They're transferring him to Portsmouth trauma now."

It was like being thrown into an alternate reality. She managed a brief gasp of thanks before clicking the button and ending the call. She changed quickly with no doubt in her mind about cancelling the appointment. She reached for the door and was almost hit in the face as someone pushed from the other side. "Dr. Carson—I, I'm so sorry I'm going to have to cancel. I just got the call my fiancé was in an accident."

"Of course, Jenny, we can reschedule preferably soon. With your—ah—age we want to get a look at the fetus before too long." He was a very agreeable man, and for that she would be eternally grateful.

"Yes, yes, thanks for understanding." She rushed out of the room and down the hall. With any luck she would see them bringing Jethro in. Her pulse was racing as she checked the directory which told her that the trauma ward was on the third floor and the obstetrics department was located on the fifth. She quickly located an elevator before pressing the large square button with a down arrow. The elevator showed up quickly and was blissfully empty. She took a quick step in and welcomed the familiar rush of the metallic doors shutting.

And suddenly she wished that she'd taken the stairs. It was like déjà vu. The Navy must buy all of their elevators from the same company because she's been here before—in this elevator worrying about Gibbs. She knew that it was different, but it is eerily similar. She saw the familiar emergency stop and-thank God for small miracles—when she flipped it no alarms went off. She was left in the calm familiar blue of another goddamn elevator. Five minutes that was how long she sat there trying to talk herself out of losing it, but the thing when you argue with yourself was one part of you always lost.

She blocked the urge to cry—truly fought it—because she needed to be strong for him. There would be time for weakness later she decided and hit the switch again.

Walking into the trauma ward she looked around once to confirm that none of the team was there yet. She approached the front desk. "Is there an NCIS agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs here yet?"

The head nurse checked her computer before she turned back to Jenny. "Not yet, but they're en-route with him EMTs called it in half an hour ago."

"Ok, thank you. I need to see him as soon as they bring him in. I'm," She rustled around in her purse trying to find her ID. She pulled it out flashing her badge and credentials, "I'm the director of NCIS." On the whim of an errant thought, she pulls her engagement ring up from the chain she wore it on. "And his fiancée." She flashed the small yet brilliant diamond to the nurse.

"I'm sorry M'am but I'm ethically obligated to inform the next of kin before you no matter you're relationship with the patient."

"I'm the closest thing he has to next of kin," she tried beginning to become desperate.

"I'm sorry, but those are the rules." Now this nurse was just getting bitchy. Jenny reached into her purse for a second time and pressed speed-dial number two. It was almost a bluff because the chances that Condoleezza Rice would answer her phone were very slim. But thank God she did.

"Director Sheppard, to what do I owe this pleasure?"

"Hey Condi, Jethro was in an accident and the head trauma nurse won't allow me to see him. She told me that she was "ethically obligated to inform the next of kin" before me."

"Let me talk to her."

"She wants to talk to you." Jenny handed the phone to the nurse a small triumphant smirk playing on her crimson lips.

Jenny only heard one side of the conversation, but she was sure that Condi would win her a chance to see Jethro. The nurse handed back her phone and Jenny said a quick goodbye to the Secretary of State.

The nurse spoke to her. "Sorry for the misunderstanding M'am we'll keep you up to date on his condition throughout the entire process."

"Thank you." With that matter settled she went to sit down in the small waiting area just by the entrance. Within a second of her sitting down a whirlwind of black appeared. Abby rushed to the front desk and started babbling incessantly about how her hearse had gotten a flat while she searched for her ID. Jenny called her name softly and went unheard so she tried again a little louder.

"Abby." Startled the Goth spun around.

"Director, you got here before me. How? I left as soon as McGee called me. He sounded scared so I knew that if McGee was scared for the boss then it had to be bad. Gibbs never goes to the hospital unless he's dying. Oh my God he isn't dying is he because—"

"Enough, Abby, I was already here for my ultrasound, and Jethro will be fine. We just have to wait the ambulance hasn't even arrived yet." Jenny had to stop her. Abby was bringing to life the fears she herself had yet to voice.

Abby sat down next to her. "You're right. Just—happy thoughts right? Happy thoughts."

Sitting there, waiting, it seems to take an eternity. In reality, it has only been another three minutes. There was a small congregation of medical staff starting to collect around the ward's entrance. In a split second, the collected sterile calm of the waiting area is ruined by commotion. The EMTs are wheeling in Jethro, and it's so much worse than she imagined.

**AN:** Cliffhanger… sorry about that I hate to do this to you guys again. Oh well… may I please direct your attention to the pretty button right below this note. If you press it, you make my day. :)


	6. Chapter Five

**AN:** This was always intended to be Jenny's journey so at times it may seem a bit one-sided sorry. The parts you recognize come from "Hiatus I" the parts you don't are mine.

He looked so fragile, and unlike Jethro. It took her breath away. His eyes were wild and frenzied as they wheeled him by her and Abby. There was blood coming from them and the left side of his face was scratched. His outfit was ruined and his skin was gray. They had him strapped to the gurney and it was hard for her to see him—the consummate survivor—look so breakable. He was quickly wheeled past them into the closed ward. She heard Abby beside her uttering something nearly unintelligible. She turned to see the Goth quickly muttering the words she now recognized as the Lord's Prayer.

It had been such a long time since Jenny had been to a church, but it somehow felt right. She said a quick prayer in her head, but it did nothing to ease her panic. Now she had to wait. It was fifteen minutes before the nurse motioned for them to come forward. "He's critical but stable. Room fifteen you can go see him now." The nurse gave them a small smile. They raced down the hall until they came to the aforementioned room fifteen. The hospital staff was just putting him into his bed. She found the head doctor and began to talk to him. "What does it look like doctor?"

"He has a concussion but there's no cerebral hemorrhaging. He should be fine."

"No, that's not positive! I want to hear will be not should be!" Abby burst out.

Jenny looked at the young woman who had just voiced her very thoughts. "Abby, enough," She silenced her. Abby gave her the look of a scolded puppy—she was unaccustomed to being snapped at.

"Thank you doctor." Jenny nodded at the neurologist dismissing him. She turned to Abby. "Abbs I need you to go back to the Navy Yard and process the evidence. We need to nail these bastards. There's no way they can do this to Jethro and get away with it." Abby looked as if she was about to protest but thought better of it and merely nodded.

:.:.:.:

Jenny had long since decided that she hated waiting. Waiting just left her more time to worry herself senseless. She had debated calling every in her contacts list just for someone to talk to. She knew that she could be doing something more useful, but her resources were all at the Navy Yard and there was no way in hell she was leaving him yet. She oscillated between calling DiNozzo and letting him do his job. Just when she was about to press send her phone started to vibrate.

"Sheppard." Her voice was gravely from hours of silence.

"Yikes, Agent DiNozzo here Cynthia told me you've been at the hospital. Is the boss awake yet?"

"No, Agent DiNozzo, do you have a Sit. Rep. for me?" She regained control of her voice and went into full director mode.

"I do Director Sheppard. Crime scene's been processed, evidence tagged, remains are on their way to autopsy. We have yet to ID the bomber, but it was a set-up designed to eliminate the entire team. That is all I have to report Ma'am." His formal response made her realize that this was not a time for formality.

"Agent DiNozzo, I was out of line." She tried to apologize.

"You are the Director Ma'am. You cannot be out of line."

"Please, I was bitchy, let me apologize."

"Never apologize—" He started the phrase she has heard oh so many times.

"— it's a sign of weakness." They finished together. "I was his partner too DiNozzo. Thank you for the Sit. Rep. I'll be into the office at 1900." She looked down at her watch to see that it was already 1730. She went to his bedside and placed a small gentle kiss on his burnt forehead. She left the building leaving express orders for the head nurse to call her if his condition changed at all. She planned on checking in on the case before returning to the hospital to spend the night.

:.:.:.:

When she entered the bullpen, she heard the familiar strains of Ziva's accent explaining something. "… DNA evidence confirms that our bomber was Hassan Smith. A home-grown terrorist he had dual citizenship in Jordan and the U.S. His mother was of Jordanian descent—most likely smuggled into the country—and his father was an American. He spent most of his 24 years in Arizona and Texas and only left the south-western US once—to come to Virginia two days ago."

"That's good Ziva what do we know about the rest of his cell?" She interjected. The surprised agents turned all of them just realizing that she had arrived.

"We are being brick-walled by the CIA," Ziva said.

"She means stone-walled, Director," Tony supplied.

"Yes, I know what I mean. The point is someone does not want us to know what is going on in that cell. My contacts tell me that there was no major threat seen in the American South-West prior to the attack on our team, but there has been increased CIA presence. I think that one of their ops. went awry and they are trying to cover their asses." Jenny generally trusted Ziva's judgment when it came to matters of espionage and now was no different.

"Good, I'll schedule a meet with the director of the CIA ASAP. Good work. Until we know more about that cell we aren't getting anywhere. You can all go home. I'll call you in when I know something." She stalked up to her office and left orders for Cynthia to get a hold of the director of the CIA in MTAC. She sat in her office and did her best to look over all of the paperwork she had missed as a result of her absence. Within fifteen minutes Cynthia knocked on her door.

"Enter."

"Director, Director Kirtz of the CIA will be on in MTAC in ten. Is there anything else I can do?" Jenny smiled at the younger womans kindness.

"Yes, please I'll need a cup of Jamaican blend from that little café down the street that—" she was about to say 'that Jethro showed me' but she stopped herself.

"Of course Ma'am, and," Cynthia seemed to debate with herself before saying, "It'll be alright. Special Agent Gibbs has always been strong-willed. He'll pull through."

"Thank you, Cynthia—for everything."

"It's my pleasure, Jenny. I'll get to that coffee then." She departed the office with a smile.

:.:.:.:

Jenny paced in the dimly-lit room as she waited to be connected with Director Thomas Kirtz of the CIA. The snow came into focus as a man's form materialized on the screen in front of her. "Director Sheppard, let's make this short."

She went into full director mode now. "NCIS is reeling from the aftermath of a bomb, and the man who did it—and his entire cell—are hiding behind, or should I say being hidden _by_ the CIA because technically the CIA should have nothing to do with them. It involves an operation on America soil so I'm sure you'll be happy to cooperate. I need you to unlock the file. It's crucial to our investigation." She knew that under these circumstances it was probably blackmail, but she was past caring.

"The CIA does not run operations on domestic soil and if we did, I do not take kindly to being threatened." Jenny has always hated him, but having the gall to lie right to her face in the aftermath of such a horrible accident, that was just rude.

"'Sorellina' it's Italian—means 'little sister'. It is the op. that the CIA has been running in the South-Western United States since August of 1996. At the moment, the only people who know are myself and the Major Case Response team if you give me what I need, it will stay that way. You have my word."

"It's need to know, and you don't."

"Last time I checked it was my agent lying in a hospital bed in a coma. I don't want this to get ugly. Just give me what I need."

"And what do you _need_, Director Sheppard." He emphasized the word need as if he had a few suggestions on the matter.

"I need enough dirt to nail the bastard who did this and his entire cell to the wall."

"What was the bombers name?"

She glanced down at the case folder she held though it was unnecessary, she knew the bastards name by heart. "Hassan Smith. He flew to Virginia two days ago."

"He was the head of the cell. It consisted of him, his younger brother, and five assorted friends. They were strange—allowed females in the ranks. Our agent got close to one of the younger girls and gained access. She had been supplying intel. on the cell for the past nine years. That's all I can tell you the rest is strictly need to know."

"And I don't. If I do, I'll arrange another meeting. Do you have enough to take down the cell?"

"Not for anything big. Possession with intent to sell, petty theft, and the attack on your agent was their first true act of terror, and it seems more personal than anything else. Did Gibbs do anything to piss them off?"

"How did you know it was Gibbs?"

"Word travels fast in the beltway. You have my word, Director, that the CIA will do everything within our power. Here at the CIA we have a healthy appreciation for Gibbs'…spunk."

"Director, I still need you to open that file. If the cell was not previously violent, then we need to figure out what triggered this attack."

"I can't do that. The CIA will take the case from here."

"This isn't about turf Thom. It's our case. We just need you to unlock some information so that we can continue. Last time I checked Crime-Scene investigation was not part of the CIA's manifest."

"It isn't about turf. It's about who has the right information for the job. You cannot see that file. I'll get a signed letter from the SecNav tomorrow."

"This isn't over, Thom. He won't give you that letter." Jenny motioned to the technician to cut the feed. She was done with this for today. All of the stress could not be good for her baby. She turned to see Cynthia standing there with her cup of Jamaican blend, and a smile.

"I called ahead to the hospital. They're arranging you a cot beside Special Agent Gibbs, and Stanley is pulling the car around front. I packed the spare set of clothes you keep in the car. Stay as long as you like, I'll forward all emergencies to your cell." Jenny did something she had never done before. She leaned down and gave Cynthia a hug worthy of Abby.

"Thank you, really, I couldn't do it without you Cynthia."

**AN:** The real action picks up pretty soon. :)Oh and a quick side note this is the longest single chapter I have written—ever.


	7. Chapter Six

**AN:** Blame my grandparents. I was on a role and then we went on a trip(Monticello and Colonial Williamsburg) I had no access to a computer and so I could not type.

She arrived at the hospital half asleep and stumbled into Jethro's room before falling onto the cot that had been prepared for her. She knew that her chances of sleep were slim, but she had to try. She spent most of the night tossing and turning unable to find a comfortable spot. When her eyes closed, her brain assaulted her with images of him: happy, sad, angry, but the one that hurt most was the one that was always in the back of her mind—the man who was crazed with fear and pain as they wheeled him by her. She finally got to sleep around two in the morning.

She was awoken in the morning with a gentle shake to her shoulder. The instincts of an agent that had never left her prompted her to pull her weapon. She blinked to realize that it was not a terrorist that she was pointing her Sig Saur at, but a very frightened doctor. "Excuse me, I'm so sorry," she dropped her weapon from its threatening position, "It's a reflex."

"Perfectly understandable, next time I'll know not to wake you. Doctor Todd Gelfand, I'm the head of the neurological department. You must be Director Sheppard the nurses told me you'd spent the night." He seemed like a nice enough man, and she was regretting sleeping with her weapon.

"Yes, I—I have a certain interest in this agents recovery."

"Of course, if you don't have any questions I'm going to check on him." He gave her another small smile, and went to Jethro's bedside.

"Doctor, is he in pain?" She questioned. When she didn't receive an answer she tried again. "Doctor?"

"Was this man a Marine?" was his unprompted response.

"Yes, before joining NCIS he was a Gunnery Sergeant. Do you know him?"

"Wounded in Dessert Storm?"

"He does have a Purple Heart, but he didn't want me to see it. I don't see where you're going with this."

"I've treated this man before. He got injured in Kuwait. He was in a coma when we transferred him to Frankfurt."

"Yes, but is he in pain?" She could think of nothing worse than watching Jethro in pain."

"Certainly not in extreme pain the only way to know for him to tell us."

She began to voice her fears letting the release of finally talking with someone whom she doesn't to impress or respect. "I've just never seen him look like that."

"I have. It's the same expression he wore in '91. It's more anguish than pain."

"Thank you, Doctor." She sat back down on the lumpy cot. She checked her watch and realized that it was already 0800. Despite Cynthia's earlier promise she knew that she needed to head into the office. "Doctor Gelfand," she pulled out her business card and jotted down her cell number quickly before handing it to him, "Here are all of my numbers—please feel free to call me if his condition changes or you need anything."

"Of course, Director."

:.:.:.:

She walked into the bullpen and is greeted with the sight of three agents who had fallen asleep around their desks. She allowed herself a brief smile; Jethro's team would do anything for him. She walked past them and up to her office. She would wake them when she needed them.

When she walked past Cynthia, it was to an exclamation about how she didn't have to come in. She waved off her assistant and went into her domain. Sitting there right on her desk was a piece of paper with a seal and signature she knew oh to well. However that weasel Kurtz had gotten the Sec Nav to sign that paper she was not happy. Without the information in that file the case was toast. She slammed her fist on the table in anger. The CIA had no right to interfere with their investigation. She called Cynthia with instructions to arrange a teleconference with the Sec Nav. In the mean time, she would wake Jethro's team. She decides to wake the impromptu leader first. DiNozzo had fallen asleep behind his desk and was snoring rather loudly when she prodded him with her high-heeled toe.

"Wakey, wakey, very special agent DiNozzo." He jolted up with a muffled curse. "I thought I told you to take the night off."

"Couldn't. We all ended up back here by 0200."

"Wake the rest of them." She stepped back and allowed him to wake the rest of his team. He shook McGee awake, and then turned to her.

"Got any water?" She looked confused at his query.

"Why would you need water?"

"To wake Ziva there's no way I'm ending up on the wrong side of a chokehold." She laughed at his truthful assessment. Dealing with a trained assassin did have its quirks.

"Allow me." She walked over to the sleeping Israeli and revived one of her favorite pastimes. She bent over and started to whisper in Ziva's ear. "The bellboy is here—and he's hot." Ziva immediately jumped up and glared at her friend.

"That's a very mean trick, Jenny." The Israeli glared at her boss remembering the last time she had been woken that way in Eastern Europe.

Tony looked at the director in amazement. "How did she not kill you? What did you say?"

"Tony, you wouldn't understand it's an inside joke." She and Ziva shared a knowing look.

"Now that you're all up we have something we need to do. The CIA is trying to hijack our investigation. Director Kurtz already got a signed paper from the Sec Nav demanding us to turn over the case. I need all of you to make copies of the evidence. The CIA will be here for it at 1100."

"That only gives us two hours Ma'am." Tony interjected.

"That's all we can get. I'll be in my office." She stalked off. Tony followed her up the stairs and grabbed her wrist on the catwalk. "Agent DiNozzo, unless you want to lose your hand I suggest you remove it from my person this instant."

He dropped his hand quickly. "Director, as senior field agent when special agent Gibbs is unable to perform his duties, it becomes my job. This is my investigation, Ma'am. Why didn't you tell me what was going on?"

"I only knew this information last night, Tony."

"It's not your investigation. I am the lead agent on this case, and you should have told me as soon as you knew." He was really pissed at her.

"You done?" He started to shake his head no.

"Too bad. This is the way things are. I don't like it, but there's nothing any of us can do to change it. What transpired between me and the Director of the CIA last night was none of your business." He looked like he was about to continue his fight so she extended her explanation. "That being said, I never intentionally withheld information from you. After I finished, yelling at Thom I went straight to the hospital. You have guts DiNozzo, but make sure you need to fight before you do. It's something Jethro's always had a problem with." She turned on her heel and left the dumbfounded agent in her wake.

:.:.:.:

"Director, the Sec Nav is on in MTAC." Jenny rose from her seat at her assistants prompting and walked across the catwalk to the secure room—it felt like she was walking to her death. She pulled on the familiar headset and readied herself to face her boss.

"Jennifer, I assume you want to talk about the investigation I granted the CIA." He cut right to the point.

"Yes sir."

"Director Kurtz had a very convincing argument. NCIS could not handle that case."

"How are we not capable of handling a domestic terrorism case? That is the base of most of our agency's work. We are trained and prepared for all the eventualities involved with that kind of work. The CIA is a bunch of hacks whose manifest forbids them from working on domestic soil."

"Director Sheppard, there is no room for debate in this matter. I had my reasons." The screen turned to snow as the feed was cut. She glared at the darkened screen where her boss had disappeared.

:.:.:.:

She was back in her office—thinking. She had to stop thinking or it was going to kill her. Whenever she had time to think it was about how horrible and unfair all of this was, and she knew that thinking it sucked and changing it were two different things, but she couldn't stop the little niggling voices in her head that kept telling her it wasn't worth fighting. "No." She spoke aloud to herself. "I have to do this." Then it came to her—she had McGee. She quickly wrote up a document that would allow him to do this with no repercussions for anyone but her.

She stood up and walked out of her office D-Day was upon them.

When she reached the bullpen she could see a group of people in suits approaching Tony. The CIA was here. Walking down the steps she called Tony's name. He turned to see his boss approaching him. When she reached him, she turned to glower at the CIA agent who had just reached them and stuck out his hand.

She ignored his hand and he quickly retracted it. "I'm Agent Banks, and I'm here to take all the evidence you have pertaining to the Smith case." She merely nodded.

"Agent DiNozzo will take you to our evidence garage. It's ready there." Tony took his cue and started to lead the agents away. Once they were out of earshot she turned to McGee. "I need you to _access_ the CIA's file on this case. They're blocking us for a reason." She handed him the sheet she had just printed off that ascertained he had no choice. "Here's your "get out of jail free card" make it quick."

**AN:** I think I like cliffhangers too much. :) Leave a review please.


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